Divorce Papers
by ladia2287
Summary: She knew their lives would not be easy. It was an arranged marriage after all, they hardly knew eachother and he had devoted his entire life to someone else. It would take a simple piece of parchment for him to realise how much he had hurt his own wife...


**A/N: Okay, so this fic is kinda inspired by a plotline from an RPG that I'm in. And that is all the explanation I shall give. Please Enjoy :P**

* * *

It was a nightmare. That's what she told herself. A nightmare from which she was never likely to wake up. Fiddling absently with the ring on her finger, she closed her eyes as a memory came to the front of her mind, as clearly as though it had only happened yesterday. The memory of the day her life in this... _prison_... had begun. She knew that he was a good person, deep down. But she also knew he had a nasty temper, and a tendency to lash out at anybody who tried to get close to him. And it was that temper that frightened her.

Of course she was aware that he would probably treat her coldly. He didn't want her here any more than she wanted to be here. That much had been obvious long before he had even been aware of her existence. But she'd had no idea... fingering the bruise on her left cheek she glanced up at her reflection with a sigh. She'd had no idea he could stoop to this.

She thought she understood why it had happened. He'd been so depressed and withdrawn of late that she ought to have seen it coming. In fact, he'd become increasingly distant ever since the News had arrived. She remembered trying desperately to console him; it was the one time he permitted her to do so. As time wore on, his temper grew shorter, and it was much worse whenever alcohol came into the equation.

Blinking back a tear that threatened to fall, she scolded herself for allowing this to happen. Maybe, just maybe, if she had stood up to her father rather than follow his orders like a frightened rabbit... no, she was fooling herself. Nothing would have made any difference. She would still be here, miserable and scared for her life. Her eyes closed again as she heard another bottle smashing against the wall of his study.

_"I don't want to turn into my father."_ That's what he'd told her, the day she was dragged into this. The day her own father had forced them both into it. She had not taken him too seriously at the time, having no clue what he actually meant. If only she'd known then...

She jumped, hearing him pound his fists on the wall. Grateful that she was not currently stuck between him and said wall, she got to her feet and gathered her things. If she was going to try to leave, this would be the best time. By the time he sobered up and calmed down enough to realise he was alone in the house, she'd be long gone.

She wouldn't take much. A few changes of clothes and her wand and purse were all that she really needed. Just enough to ensure she would never need to come back. Slipping out the bedroom door she snuck downstairs, careful not to alert him to her movements. If he was sober he probably wouldn't have cared, but she didn't trust him not to lose that notorious temper when he'd been drinking. She left no clue of her intentions apart from a yellowed envelope, addressed to him. Taking a deep breath, she swung the front door open and ran down the street as fast as her legs would take her.

* * *

Severus awoke with a pounding headache. Glancing at the broken glass around him he realised he must have been drinking and groaned, hoping he hadn't hurt her again. He trudged out of the room, deciding to find her and apologise for whatever he had done the previous night, but could not find her anywhere in the house. As he reached the kitchen, he spotted the envelope on the counter and picked it up automatically, recognising her handwriting. Fearing he might find the worst news inside he ripped it open and tore out the contents, his heart sinking as he opened up the folded parchment inside and quickly read it.

"Oh God Artemis, I'm sorry," he muttered. It was not the suicide note he had been fearing, but divorce papers. His wife had left him and he knew full well that nothing would ever persuade her to return.


End file.
